Houston ISD under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education for Civil Rights

HOUSTON - The U.S. Department of Education for Civil Rights has opened a disability discrimination investigation into the Houston Independent School District, according to a release. 

Houston ISD under investigation by the Department of Education for Civil Rights

The release stated, "Public schools are required – to the maximum extent appropriate – to ensure that children with disabilities are educated alongside their nondisabled peers and to follow specific procedures when making placement decisions about how and where children with disabilities are educated."

According to the release, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) opened an investigation into the Houston Independent School District to determine whether the District violates Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act by not following these requirements, and are thereby discriminating against students with disabilities.

The release stated, "The District is allegedly centralizing certain special education services and proposing to separate students with disabilities from the larger student population beginning in the 2026-27 school year, despite parental concerns that their children should be in general education classrooms where their social skills improve more significantly around their peers. Parents have also expressed concerns that longer transportation times to the proposed specialty schools would be challenging for children with medical and behavioral needs."

What they're saying:

"Schools cannot exclude students with disabilities simply because of their disability status. Placement decisions must be made individually, based on each student’s needs, rather than by blanket policies that segregate students by disability category," said Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey. "The allegations described here are alarming. The Trump Administration will fully investigate this situation and fight to ensure every child with a disability receives the education and support guaranteed under the law."

The other side:

In a statement from Houston ISD, "Any review will show that all special education updates for the 2026–27 school year focus on increasing access to services in the least restrictive environment, strengthening systems to improve the quality of instruction, and improving student outcomes. HISD serves over 21,000 students receiving special education services. Over 15,000 students are served in inclusive settings, and there are no changes to their current campus or services. For the ~5,000 students primarily served in self-contained settings, families can expect small class sizes, low adult-to-student ratios to support specialized instruction, and placement with similar-age peers. These programs will be available on more than half of HISD campuses to improve access for families, and transportation will continue to be provided for any student whose IEP requires it. As always, the district remains committed to ensuring students with disabilities receive the services and supports outlined in their Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and that placement decisions are made individually through the ARD process in accordance with applicable law. Because this is an active investigation, the district cannot comment further on specific allegations or matters under review."